The present invention relates generally to service-based vending machines and, more specifically, to vending machines providing music entertainment (commonly called jukeboxes).
Jukeboxes are a well-known form of vending machine. Many restaurants and bars operate jukeboxes as an additional revenue source. Customers use jukeboxes to hear song selections that they wish to hear during their visit to the establishment. Customers typically deposit currency and select the song or songs that they wish to hear. The jukebox receives customer selections and plays the requested songs in the order that they were requested.
When an establishment featuring a jukebox has a large number of customers, requests may be taken by the jukebox at a faster rate than the songs are played. At these times, customers must wait longer to hear the songs that they requested. Some customers may not even hear the songs that they requested before they leave the establishment. Anticipating a long wait, many customers are reluctant to request songs during busy times. This problem both inconveniences customers and results in a missed revenue opportunity for jukebox operators.
A xe2x80x9cWebMart Jukeboxxe2x80x9d has been described by Agorics, Inc. and Sun Labs that allows customers to bid in an auction system for priority service. This jukebox system includes a xe2x80x9cBid Priority Queuexe2x80x9d as a list of objects or resources to be serviced, sorted in a specific order based on a price bidding policy. Such a bid priority queue may be used with a policy where songs with the highest bids would be serviced (played) first.
However, with the WebMart Jukebox the user cannot predict in advance the amount of money required to purchase expedited service. Additionally, there are no assurances that bids placed by the user will result in receipt of expedited service. This system also does not verify that an appropriate payment was made. Furthermore, given the continuous nature of jukebox service delivery, it is not practical to require that consumers constantly bid for the priority of their services.
An article published by United Press International describes a xe2x80x9cvideo cafexe2x80x9d with a video jukebox incorporating a computer. This computer displays the most requested songs, with a disk jockey giving priority to a particular song on the basis of the number of requests for it. However, consumers with unpopular requests have no way to obtain priority service.
A number of jukeboxes are known which can identify the songs in the request queue. For example, a machine offered by NSM-America can display the next ten songs that are requested in the queue in the order that they will be played. This jukebox displays a scrolling list on its LED display of the next ten requested songs by CD and track number.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,157 entitled xe2x80x9cBonus Play Machinexe2x80x9d describes a machine that randomly makes offers to pick additional songs for additional, discounted payment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,727 entitled xe2x80x9cCoin or Token Operated Machine for Playing Pre-Recorded Record Discsxe2x80x9d discloses a system for ordering the songs in a jukebox based on when they were last played.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,788 entitled xe2x80x9cProgrammed Juke Box Capable of Calculating a Continuous Updated Playlistxe2x80x9d discloses a jukebox for playing tracks off audio media including a video output device with a touch panel. The jukebox""s controller can make up playlists based on the popularity of each performance as indicated by registered choices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,295 entitled xe2x80x9cJukebox Polling Systemxe2x80x9d enables a data acquisition and transmission system for surveying a plurality of remotely located jukeboxes via telephone lines. A data collector includes a song identification arrangement and storage memory for determining the number of times a particular song is played over a given period of time. This data can be periodically uploaded to a central server which tabulates and stores the information. The collected data is then processed to provide a distribution scale useful in determining the proper allocation of royalty fees received from jukebox licensing fees.
In general, the above-described systems do not manage requests and prioritize a request queue based on the receipt of an additional payment. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved jukebox system that allows customers to obtain priority service.
In view of the prior art, it is desirable to enable a jukebox to more efficiently manage sales by controlling the queue of customer requests. In particular, it is desirable to give a customer the opportunity to pay a premium to (1) obtain priority service from the jukebox (in other words, to upgrade his position in the queue), or (2) avoid having other requests advanced ahead of his own (in other words, to reserve or xe2x80x9clock inxe2x80x9d a position in the queue, thereby avoiding being xe2x80x9cbumpedxe2x80x9d or downgraded in priority).
The present invention provides a jukebox method and apparatus for efficiently managing sales. By allowing customers to pay more for priority service, the jukebox of the present invention collects a more accurate measure of request demand than is available in conventional jukeboxes. The collection of demand data and additional payment enables the machine to prioritize its services. Accordingly, the present invention allows jukebox operators to collect an additional revenue stream by accepting payment for priority services.
According to on aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for managing a queue of a jukebox. The method includes the step of arranging a set of service identifiers in a queue based upon a time of receipt corresponding to each service identifier. Specifically, as each additional song request is processed, it is added to the tail or bottom of the queue. Service identifiers at the bottom of the queue are processed last.
The method further includes the step of receiving a request to expedite an identified service corresponding to one service identifier in the queue. This step occurs when a customer requests priority service for his song. The method also includes the step of receiving payment for the request to expedite the identified service.
In response to the request for expedited service and the receipt of payment, the plurality of service identifiers is arranged in the queue, thereby causing the identified service to be expedited. Thereafter, the service is performed in accordance with the associated service identifiers position in the queue. An apparatus configured to perform the steps of the described method is also disclosed.